Paula Deen’s two sons, Bobby and Jamie Deen, defended their mother and talked about how much recent accusations that she’s racist have hurt her. The two are chefs in their own right, starring on TV shows and helping out in the family restaurant business.

The accusations are “ridiculous, completely absurd to think there is an environment of racism in our business, and it’s really disrespectful to the people that we work with,” Jamie Deen told CNN. He added that many of the people at their company have worked there for five to 20 years, and they would not have allowed themselves to be put in such a position.

Jamie Deen said his parents taught him about baseball legend Hank Aaron and how unfair it was that he went through such discrimination because of his skin color.

Paula Deen and her brother, Bubba Hiers, are defendants in a lawsuit filed by Lisa T. Jackson, a former restaurant manager. Jackson accused Paula Deen and Hiers of making derogatory remarks about blacks.